Man jailed after targeting vulnerable women online

AMAN who offered to help a vulnerable student kill herself after meeting her on a pro- suicide website has been handed a life sentence.

Craig McInally, 31, invited the 25 year- old woman to his flat in Glasgow’s Ibrox after she confessed to be “really struggling”.

A judge yesterday heard how McInally had become addicted to online pornography which lead him to an even darker side of the internet.

It was at his home McInally encouraged the woman to “practice” which included him repeatedly choking her to the point she lost consciousness.

The upset university student eventually told him she wanted to leave before police were later alerted.

McInally was arrested at his home where it was found he had offered similar “advice and assistance” to other suicidal young women.

He also claimed to be excited “at the thought of his death and of others”.

McInally yesterday returned to the dock at the High Court in Glasgow.

He had pleaded guilty in November 2021 to a charge of culpable and reckless conduct to the danger of the woman’s life. The case had been repeatedly adjourned for a full risk assessment to be carried out on McInally.

Lord Mulholland yesterday imposed an Order for Lifelong Restriction with McInally to serve a minimum two years and three months behind bars.

The hearing last year was told he had been a member of the site since November 2018. The woman joined around a year later.

Prosecutor Paul Kearney KC said, on November 28, 2019, the woman got the first of “many messages” from McInally.

Mr Kearney: “He offered to meet her and for her to come to his house.”

The court heard he discussed suicide with the fragile woman. The court was told of a number of things McInally did to the woman at his home.

Police found a large haul of sketches and animations of naked women being strangled or hanged.

Mr Kearney: “There was evidence that he had conversed with other young women about suicide offering advice and assistance of the type offered to the student.”

McInally made no comment when quizzed by officers, but had earlier stated during a medical check- up that he got “sexually” excited about death.

His lawyer said McInally had become addicted to gaming in his teens before becoming obsessed with pornography.

Donald Findlay KC, defending, went on: “Suggestions were made to look at different material. This took him away from the mainstream ... and to other more fringe activities.”

The court heard he went on to find the suicide website “by pure chance”.

Sentencing, Lord Mulholland stressed McInally would not automatically be released when he had completed the minimum jail- term.